Watch List notes:

SCOTLAND. 44 Shillings (Lion), 1553. Edinburgh Mint. Mary. NGC AU-55.
S-5394; Fr-30; Burns-5. First Period, Before Marriage. An impressive piece with warm olive-gold tone and sharp detail throughout. The surfaces display considerable satiny luster and appear fully Mint State upon first glance. Nicely centered on the obverse and pulled slightly to 4 o'clock on the reverse, with signs of double striking on both sides. Natural irregularity in the flan is noted at the lower obverse edge. A trivial old mark is noted below E of DEI, but the complexion is otherwise undisturbed. As beautiful as it is RARE.

Issued partway through Mary's first period coinage of 1542 through 1558, the 44 shillings were the second heaviest gold coin of this era, dwarfed by only the massive 3 pound pieces introduced for 1555. Burns reported in 1887 that these were commonly referred to as "lions" by collectors, even though it is unlikely they were ever officially regarded as such. Instead, he goes on to point out that "lion" was the contemporary nickname given to "small billon coins of one penny fine."

From the Loch Ness Collection.

Estimate: $8000 - $12000